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The report “Annual Threat Dynamics 2026” from PwC confirms a structural shift in the nature of cyberattacks. Far from traditional models based on breaching systems from the outside, attackers today operate from within: they use legitimate credentials, compromised access, and poorly managed privileges to infiltrate organizations.
This shift not only increases the sophistication of threats but also calls into question traditional cybersecurity approaches, which rely on perimeters and external barriers.
One of the study’s most significant findings is that identity has become the primary attack vector. Rather than “breaking in,” attackers prefer to “log in,” exploiting stolen credentials, session tokens, or federated access.
This change means that many organizations could be at risk even without any obvious technical vulnerabilities. The weakness no longer lies solely in the infrastructure, but in the management of access, permissions, and authentication.
However, there is a significant gap: only a minority of executives view identity management as a budget priority, even though such breaches have been at the forefront of recent incidents.
Advances in artificial intelligence create a mixed picture. On the one hand, they enable organizations to strengthen their defensive capabilities, automate threat detection, and improve incident response. On the other hand, they also empower attackers, who can scale up their operations, automate attacks, and refine their social engineering techniques.
In this context, AI not only expands the attack surface but also accelerates the pace of risk. Organizations are no longer competing solely against individual hackers, but against increasingly automated and adaptive systems.
The report also highlights that the threat landscape is increasingly influenced by geopolitical factors. International tensions, the fragmentation of alliances, and disruptions in supply chains are redefining both the targets and methods of cyberattacks.
Added to this is the growing exposure in cloud environments, connected devices, and third-party dependencies, areas where many organizations acknowledge they are not sufficiently prepared.
The result is a scenario where technological and strategic risks converge, forcing us to rethink cybersecurity as a core component of the business.
Beyond the technical findings, PwC proposes a shift in approach: cybersecurity must move away from being viewed as a set of static controls and evolve into a dynamic system that is integrated with business strategy.
The organizations that succeed in adapting will be those capable of:
In an environment where threats evolve faster than traditional defenses, the competitive advantage will not lie in preventing all attacks—something that is becoming increasingly unlikely—but in anticipating them, containing them, and responding with agility.
The PwC report sends a clear message: digital risk is no longer just a technological issue, but a strategic challenge. And in this new landscape, identity—rather than infrastructure—will be the real battleground.
Check out more details here.
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